The City Reporters graphic: Buhari at Chatham House: the 2015 speech and the question on Sharia

Buhari at Chatham House: the 2015 speech and the question on Sharia

ByMarcus Tolliver

Graphic: The City Reporters

In February 2015, weeks before Nigeria’s presidential election, opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari delivered a speech at Chatham House, the London policy institute. He presented himself as a “converted democrat,” pledged to fight corruption and insecurity, and took questions from the audience, including on his past statements about Sharia law, a subject his opponents raised throughout the campaign.

The election

Buhari, running for the All Progressives Congress, defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in March 2015. It was the first time in Nigeria’s history that an opposition candidate unseated a sitting president at the ballot box, and Jonathan’s swift concession was widely praised.

Two terms

Buhari served two terms, from 2015 to 2023. His government’s record remains debated: supporters point to infrastructure projects and anti-corruption efforts, while critics cite economic difficulties, currency pressures and continued insecurity in parts of the country. He was succeeded by Bola Tinubu in May 2023.

Death

Buhari died in London in July 2025.

Sources

  • Chatham House event records, 2015
  • Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) results

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